Now Online: Creeping risks of the Arctic: How Svalbard Science can help us to see, understand and adapt
The fourth lecture in the Lantern Lectures series is now available to watch
Is the Arctic an early warning system for environmental risks facing the rest of the planet? In this Lantern Lecture, Gijs Breedveld, Head of the Department of Arctic Technology and Research Leader at UNIS, explores how Svalbard’s unique position within global climate, oceanic, and atmospheric systems makes it a critical site for detecting slow-moving and often overlooked threats — what he describes as “creeping risks”.
Drawing on his background in environmental engineering and Arctic research, Breedveld examines how climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution are deeply interconnected. He shows how their combined effects often become visible in the Arctic long before they are recognised elsewhere, from warming oceans and thawing permafrost to the long-range transport of contaminants and shifting ecosystems.
Rather than framing the Arctic as remote or marginal, Breedveld argues that it should be understood as a sensor: a place where global environmental challenges are first detected and made visible. By observing these changes closely — and by translating scientific knowledge into action — Arctic research, he suggests, can help societies better anticipate, understand, and adapt to environmental risks before they become irreversible.
Recorded live at Svalbard Museum on 12 January 2026
Talk presented in English (Norwegian subtitles)
Watch the full talk here:
About the Lantern Lectures
Presented by Artica Svalbard in collaboration with Svalbard Museum, the Lantern Lectures series revives the spirit of 19th-century magic lantern lectures — intimate community gatherings that combined storytelling, images, and knowledge-sharing.
Taking place during the dark season, these five talks offer space for reflection on what matters most in the Arctic today — from climate change and cultural heritage to youth voices and polar science.
Upcoming events continue through December and January and are free to attend, see our events page if you would like to attend in person.
All lectures take place from 18:00–19:00 and will be published online after each event.
